Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Disneyland - Cast Activities Center, Versateller, Herbie Hill

Snooping around the internet, I once again came across an '80's era video clip posted by Jeff Hawkins of parts of the Main Street back area, including the Cast Activities Center, the BofA Versateller (to think I was once a Bank of America customer!), Herbie Hill, Harbor House and the old Cast Member Parking Lot.
The video captures these areas and the kinds of goofy stuff cast members did when left to their own devices.



I find myself looking over people's shoulders into the background of the shots, my eye seeking out the details.
You see people in orange Parking Lot costumes, I see the Cast Activities Center and the glass doors I entered so many, many times.
I hit that Versateller ATM at the end of lots of shifts---before heading out to whatever our destination may have been for some post-work fun.
I emptied those "bullet can" trash cans way back when I worked in Day Custodial.
To us in the back area, a good chunk of Space Mountain was BLUE. You can see its blue lower, rear wall flash by there behind the ATM in the video.
As the Parking Lot crew is on their way out of the back area, they drive by the old Wardrobe building. You can see a Security cast member heading to or from the Security office.
Just before they make a right turn down Herbie Hill, you can ahead see Outdoor Vending on the left (along the back side of Space Mountain and Tomorrowland) and the old locker building on the right.
they then drive past Harbor House, which you can barely see on the right as they bounce down the hill under the covered trestle of the Disneyland Railroad.
Then they head out to to Parking Lot (another bygone thing of beauty) to head toward the Disneyland marquee, which they indicate is about to come down.  Oh the humanity.
Eisner.  Ack.
Here is Part II of the video.



I'd ask you to take a close look at the Disney Cast Members. See those nice, crisp costumes? No frumpy, take-it-home-and-wash-it-yourself stuff back then!
And look at the people!
It's 6:00 a.m., but they are smiling, happy, enjoying themselves and each other's company. They are a family.
They are also a pretty fit, clean cut group.

My thanks for Jeff for posting these. Perhaps you Jungle followers may recognize an old friend or fellow CM in the videos.
Even if you don't, the video gives you yet another slice of what life was like in the Park.

Happy All Saints Day!

---Mike